WYCT
| Broadcast area | Pensacola, Florida Mobile, Alabama |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 98.7 MHz (HD Radio) |
| Branding | Cat Country 98.7 |
| Programming | |
| Format | Country |
| Subchannels |
|
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Mary Elizabeth Hoxeng Revocable Trust |
| History | |
First air date | November 2003 |
Call sign meaning | W Y CaT |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 539 |
| Class | C1 |
| ERP | 100,000 watts |
| HAAT | 299 meters (981 ft) |
| Translator(s) | HD2: 94.5 W233CM (Pensacola) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | catcountry987.com playlist945.com (HD2) |
WYCT (98.7 FM) is a radio station known as "Cat Country 98.7". The main studio is located at 7251 Plantation Road in Pensacola, Florida, and station serves Pensacola and the Mobile, Alabama area with a country format. Its studios are in Pensacola and its transmitter is located west of Muscogee, Florida just inside Alabama.
History
This new 100,000-watt FM radio station was built from the ground up in 2002-2003. The station was started on 40 acres (160,000 m2) of raw timberland where a new 942-foot (287 m) tower in Baldwin County and an associated "hurricane proof" blockhouse were built. WYCT was debuted as Christmas Radio 98.7 in November 2003, and switched to Country music on December 26, 2003. Longtime General Manager Mary Hoxeng purchased WYCT & W233CM in 2021.
According to many Solutions Broadcast Research and The Radio Index reports, WYCT has been the Pensacola radio station that delivers the largest Pensacola audience of adults aged 25 to 54.
WYCT won "Station of the Year" from the Academy of Country Music (ACM) in 2006, 2009, 2011, 2020, & 2023. Its morning show "The CatPack" won "ACM Personalities of the Year" in 2009, 2019, 2023. These awards were in the ACM Small Market division and were presented during the ACM Awards Show in Las Vegas. The station won the "NAB Service to America" in 2008, 2019 & 2021. NAB recognized WYCT's service to its community with "Crystal Awards" in 2013, 2017 & 2019. The CMA awarded "Station of the Year" to WYCT in 2017 & 2019. CMA awarded "Personalities of the Year" to CatPack Morning Show in 2022. These are in the Small or Mid-Market categories.
HD Radio
WYCT's HD Radio signal is multiplexed, with the HD3 channel carrying a simulcast of NewsRadio 92.3 / AM1620 WNRP. WYCT was the first radio station in Florida to broadcast in high-quality, HD RADIO. The HD4 channel carries a simulcast of ESPN PENSACOLA/1330 WEBY.[citation needed] WYCT uses a new, solid-state Rohde THR9 transmitter to broadcast its main 100,000 kW signal at 98.7 and the 4 high-quality HD Radio programs.
In August 2018, WYCT had added sports talk ESPN Pensacola on its HD2 subchannel, returning the network to the market for the first time since WBSR's flip to Christian music. The programming was simulcast on 94.5 W233CM in Pensacola.
ESPN PENSACOLA flipped to airing on WEBY/1330 and its 99.1 translator in August 2019.[2][3]
WYCT-HD2 and W233CM/94.5 continued to simulcast WEBY until November 5, 2019, when they began stunting with Christmas music as Christmas Radio 94.5. The stunt continued on with a loop of "Baby Shark" from January 1 though 13, 2020, after which the stations launched a new adult contemporary format as Pensacola's PLAYLIST 94.5.[4]
References
- ^ "Facility Technical Data for WYCT". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ "ESPN Radio Returns To Pensacola". RadioInsight. 2018-08-27. Retrieved 2020-01-02.
- ^ "ESPN Pensacola Moves To 1330/99.1". RadioInsight. 2019-08-19. Retrieved 2020-01-02.
- ^ "A New Blend For Pensacola". RadioInsight. 2020-01-13. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
External links
- Official website
- Facility details for Facility ID 539 (WYCT) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- WYCT in Nielsen Audio's FM station database
- Facility details for Facility ID 142989 (W233CM) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- W233CM at FCCdata.org
30°37′30″N 87°26′38″W / 30.625°N 87.444°W